MORE than £18m is to be spent on new NHS surgeries and clinics in the region, it was announced yesterday.

The money will be spent in the Tees Valley and South Durham during the next two years.

Private and public partnership organisation the Local Improvement Finance Trust (Lift) will provide the new services along with the non-profit making B and N Care Partnerships.

The facilities are due to open next year and schemes to receive the money include:

*l Owton Rossmere surgery in Hartlepool, is to receive £700,000.

* Lawson Street GP surgery Stockton is to get a £4m upgrade.

* A total of £5m will be spent on re-establishing the 60-bed Richardson Community Hospital in Barnard Castle to replace the existing health centre.

* A £7m health centre will be built in Hartlepool town centre.

* £2m will be spent on extending a health centre in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton.

Minister for Health John Hutton said Lift and B and N would help provide the new services during the next 25 years.

"We all look forward to the opening of state-of-the-art facilities," he said. "The investment will also radically improve working conditions for local health care professionals and that will assist with better staff recruitment and retention."

Dr Stephen Williams, a GP at Lawson Street Health Centre in Stockton, welcoming the news, said: "Lawson Street Health Centre was an innovation when it is was built but is showing its age now. We are pleased to have the opportunity of working with our partners to provide modern premises that will meet the needs of our patients and staff."

The trust selected B and N Care Partnerships as its partner following a tendering process.

It is thought that at least £90m is to be spent on NHS facilities in Tees Valley and South Durham during the next five years.